Antideflection roll



Aug. l1, 1953 L. HoRNBos'rEl.

ANTIDEFLECTION ROLL Filed Aug. 4, 1950 NN N@ ELL Patented Aug. 11, 1953 AN TIDEFLECTION ROLL Lloyd Hornbostel, Beloit, Wis., assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 4, 1950, Serial No. 177,677

3 Claims.

under deflecting stress, as for example, the bottom roll of a superimposed calender stack. However, such prior rolls have been relatively compli cated and have been assembled from a plurality of closely machined expensive parts adapted to mount a roll shell upon an axle in such a manner as to accommodate concurrent axle and shell deformation. Consequently, such rolls have been expensive in both initial and maintenance costs, as well as being complicated in design, manufacture and assembly.

llhe present invention now provides an extremely simple anti-deflection roll for such use wherein inflatable members are interposed -between the roll shell and the roll axle to secure the same together for rotation. The inflatable members are formed of a resilient elastomeric substance, such as natural or synthetic rubber or the like, and the inherent resiliency of the inflatable members, together with the cushioning effect of the infiating fluid, serves to retain the shell upon the axle in such a manner that the smooth running relationship between the roll shell and the axle is preserved even under severe operating conditions causing distortion of either or both of the roll parts.

An additional feature of the present invention is the elimination of the heretofore necessary machining of the means used to retain the roll shell upon the shaft, inasmuch as the inflation of the securing means accommodates irregularities caused or formed during manufacture or use, with the fluid pressure within the inflatable member permitting self-adjustment of the securing means under distorting stress applied to either the axle or the shell, or both.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a resilient inflatable connection interposed between a paper machine roll shell and an axle for the shell for securing the shell to the axle for corotation despite distortion of either the shell or the axle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a roll for a paper making machine including a roll shell, a roll shaft passing through the shell and resiliently inflatable means interposed between the shell and the shaft and 2 urged thereagainst under fluid pressure to couple the shell to the shaft for corotation despite distortion of the roll under load.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide an improved resilient means for securing a roll shell to a ycentral axle, the means 'being interposed between the shell and the axle and being inflatable under fluid pressure to thereby secure the shell to the axle for corotation with the resilient means and the fluid conlined therein under pressure accommodating distortion of the roll assembly from its normal symmetrical configuration.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a roll including a generally cylindrical peripheral shell and an axle extending axially through the shell, the shell being secured to the axle for rotation by means of a plurality of resiliently inflatable elements interposed therebetween and urged into contact with both of the members by means of a fluid pressure confined therein.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken along the axis of a roll of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating, in exaggerated form, distortion of the roll shell and roll axle when the roll is placed under a load; and

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the plane IlI-III of Fig. 1.

As shown on the drawings: f

In Figure 1, reference numeral I0 refers generally to an anti-deflection roll of the present invention including an exterior, generally cylindrical roll shell I I, formed of steel, brass, or other suitable material and having a shaft or axle I2 extending axially therethrough.

The axle I2 is provided with an axial internal bore I3 extending along substantially the entire length thereof and communicating with a source of fluid, such as air, under pressure through a conduit I3a. The terminal end of the bore I3 communicates with a radially extending fluid flow passage I4, while a similar radial passage I5 is provided intermediate the length of the bore I3. The axle I2 is provided with a plurality of pairs of radially extending peripheral shoulders I6 spaced axially on either side of the passages I4 and I5.

Between each of the sets of shoulders I6, there is confined between the axle I2 and the shell II a resiliently inflatable tire I'I. Each tire II is provided with a smooth generally cylindrical outer peripheral surface I8 in extended surface contact with the inner periphery of the shell and with a concentric inner peripheral surface I9 contacting the exterior periphery of the shaft I2 intermediate the shoulders I6. Preferably, the inner surface I9 is of such dimension that the tire, when inflated, fits snugly between the shoulders. The tire II is actually toroidal in shape, with the inner annular space 2l] being inflatable with the fluid under pressure. Inflation of the space 20 is carried out by means of a radially inwardly extending inflation neck 2I formed integrally with the tire I'I and projecting into the passage III- I5 lying between the shoulders I6 confining the tire.

It will be seen that the inflation neck 2I thus establishes communication between the interior space 20 of the tire I1 and the radial passage I4--I5 communicating with the bore I3 which is adapted to receive fluid under pressure to the conduit I4 connected to a suitable source. In this manner, the tire II may be inflated with fluid under pressure so as to expand the tire surfaces I8 and ISI into tight engagement with the adjacent periphery of the shell II and the shaft I2, respectively.

The extreme simplicity of this method of securing the shell II to the shaft I2 will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, and the elimination of the excessively expensive, heretofore necessary close machining tolerances will be evident. The resilient inflation of the tire I`I makes possible the accommodation of the tire to any irregularities on the shaft or on the shell inner periphery. Further, the inflation under fluid pressure insures a tight fitting wedged engagement between the tire, shaft, and shell. It will be appreciated that the number of tires disposed within any Shell is to be governed by the roll dimensions, and also by the load imposed upon the roll. By utilizing a plurality of such tires,

it is feasible to support the load upon the bottom roll of a large calender stack by the utilization of comparatively moderate fluid pressures. In connection with such pressures, it will be appreciated that either a pneumatic or a hydraulic o pressure medium may be utilized.

Another advantage of the utilization of an inflatable tire I'I resides in the provision of a cushioning connection between the shell and the shaft. As illustrated in Fig. 2, this fluid cushioning effect will result in true running of the roll, even though the roll is deflected from its normal symmetrical configuration as shown in Fig. 1. The fluid pressure is shiftable to accommodate any deflection of either the roll shaft or the roll shell, and there is no possibility of the rupture of any portion of the roll assembly due to the shifting of the roll components. Also, to remove the shell from the axle for replacement or other purposes, it is only necessary to deflate the tires.

It will be seen that the tire serves as an actual fluid coupling between shaft and shell and the torsional load imposed on the shaft in starting the roll, or during running, will be accommodated by resilient flexing of the tire, which flexing will be accommodated by the resilient fluid pressure support of the tire itself. Thus, the fluid pressure tire serves to accommodate both torsional and deflectional loads upon the roll assembly, which stresses may be of large magnitude when the roll is utilized in portions of a paper machine, such as in a stack of calender rolls.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I cla-im as my invention:

1. A roll assembly comprising a rigid cylindrical outer shell, a rigid through shaft axially received thereby, separate and apart resilient inflated tires adjacent but inwardly spaced from each end of the shell providing the sole support for corotatably mounting the shell on the shaft, said shaft having an axial bore and radial passages communicating with said bore, means establishing communication between said radial passages and said tires, and a fluid pressure source communicating with said bore.

2. A roll assembly comprising a rigid cylindrical outer shell, a rigid through shaft axially received thereby, separate and apart resilient inflated tires adjacent but inwardly spaced from each end of the shell providing the sole support for corotatably mounting the shell on the shaft, spaced grooves in said shaft retaining the inflated tires therein, and conduits in said shaft communicating with said tires at the retaining grooves and extending axially of said shaft for communication with a source of fluid under pressure.

3. A roll assembly comprising a rigid cylindrical outer shell, a rigid through shaft axially received thereby, separate and apart resilient and inflated tires adjacent but inwardly spaced from each end of the shell providing the sole support for corotatably mounting the shell on the shaft, said shaft having an axial bore for communication with a source of fluid under pressure and radial passages communicating with said bore, and means establishing communication between said radial passages and said tires.

LLOYD HORNBOSTEL.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,118,785 Laus Nov. 24, 1914 1,226,984 MuSkett May 22, 1917 1,451,903 Field Apr. 17, 1923 1,617,210 Green Feb. 8, 1927 2,145,806 Schnedarek Jan. 31, 1939 2,193,481 Fawick Mar. 12, 1940 2,316,502 Carman Apr. 13, 1943 2,583,117 Piperoux Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,629 Great Britain July 12, 1910 

